# Would you move to Pandora? (Avatar) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149 "2011-08-10T01:14:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/21 "2011-08-11T23:14:22Z")
No. I’m too into human babes and I didn’t see any TVs or internet there so… ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/22 "2011-08-11T23:35:28Z")
Eventually I’d want to watch TV. And I agree that, _Aliens_ jokes aside, the only realistic fate of that world is firebombing from orbit where you don’t have to worry about flying dragons, alien rhinos and arrows. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/23 "2011-08-12T00:25:24Z")
I’d miss nipples. Even my own. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/24 "2011-08-12T01:45:10Z")
> [@](#): > > And no evidence that he makes the unobtanium or manipulates it. It might be the unobtanium that allows the sentience to exist rather than the sentience creating the unobtanium. It might be, but I think it more plausible that the stuff is created. If it were produced via purely geological processes, it should be synthesizable by humans. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/25 "2011-08-12T01:52:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > It might be, but I think it more plausible that the stuff is created. If it were produced via purely geological processes, it should be synthesizable by humans. And if something or someone else can create it, then humans can duplicate it eventually. Just a matter of time. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/26 "2011-08-12T02:13:09Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Which is another though, the Navi don’t appear to be indigenous to Pandora _(every other species has six limbs, they have four)_, if they aren’t native then where did they come from? They also have two eyes instead of four and apparently breathe through their noses as opposed to the chest-mounted air intakes all the other species have. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/27 "2011-08-12T03:17:20Z")
[I like Harry Partridge’s take on the matter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D8IRIYBSnk&list=FL15PQW8fnBXE&index=17) ---
**Author:** ![Silophant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Silophant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silophant)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/28 "2011-08-12T03:26:43Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > btw semi-related sidenote I thought the story could have been made more interesting if the human side had been made a little more sympathetic, even a throwaway line saying that humanity _needed_ the unobtanium, a matter of species survival rather than what was depicted as simple corporate greed. There were a few throw-away lines that implied that civilization on Earth only stays stable because of the plentiful cheap fusion power made possible by unobtainium. Which, of course, raises the question of why it’s a (massive) corporation running the mining operation rather than the government, but whatever. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/29 "2011-08-12T05:25:33Z")
Pluses: Beautiful nature utopia with the froo froo stuff having actual scientific basis Flying!!! Super dexterity Aliens a decent mix of exotic but still pleasantly humanoid Different flavors of tribes to chose from! Pony tail sex! Minuses: No technological progress? Not sure this is much of a minus. They seem to have just enough technology to meet all of their needs. Some of them are dicks. Culture is somewhat rigid. No cultural progress/change? We don’t really know if this is true or not. No access to internet/media. I think this would be the biggest minus for me. I’d really miss my cultural artifacts. OTOH if I could bring a solar powered iPad with 1000TB flash drive with all of Earth’s literature, movies, television series, references, etc, it might not be so bad. Especially because I’d be so busy FLYING DINOSAURS and having PONY TAIL SEX I’d barely have time to catch up on the next season of Lost. Questions: Do I have to worry about fights with the Earth interlopers? What are the Na’vi’s feelings about homosexuality? Am I an actual Na’vi or a human avatar? If it were just the 6 year mission rotation, then absolutely. If it were a permanent assignment, maybe. If I got the special permanent download into a NaVi body and tribe membership, a strong maybe. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/30 "2011-08-12T05:27:51Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > [I like Harry Partridge’s take on the matter](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D8IRIYBSnk&list=FL15PQW8fnBXE&index=17) tl;dw what’s the gist? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/31 "2011-08-12T05:31:46Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Which is another though, the Navi don’t appear to be indigenous to Pandora _(every other species has six limbs, they have four)_, if they aren’t native then where did they come from? They don’t explain the eyes, but the movie explained the limbs. If you look at the “monkey” creatures, their arms have fused at the elbows such that they have two biceps but four forearms. It’s implied that the NaVi have further fused their forearms. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/32 "2011-08-12T06:09:13Z")
I like technology and modern comforts so I’d stay on Earth - unless future Earth is sufficiently hellish. If it’s something like the hellscape from _The Matrix_ though, then Pandora starts to look better. As for mining, how about just mining someplace where the natives _aren’t_? Instead of just deciding it’s easier to shoot the locals that look for another deposit. > [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Which is another though, the Navi don’t appear to be indigenous to Pandora _(every other species has six limbs, they have four)_, if they aren’t native then where did they come from? That’s considered a mystery in-universe I understand; they and possibly the planet being artificial is one speculation as to why. Which is an argument I’ve heard for not massacring the Na’vi or bombarding the planet from orbit; what if you do that and in a century or so the Avatarverse versions of the First Ones show up and rip off Earth’s crust in retaliation for ruining their experiment? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/33 "2011-08-12T06:14:34Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > Which is another though, the Navi don’t appear to be indigenous to Pandora _(every other species has six limbs, they have four)_, if they aren’t native then where did they come from? On Earth, you have creatures with [four](http://static.gotpetsonline.com/pictures-gallery/dog-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/english-shepherd-dog-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/pictures/english-shepherd-dog-0003.jpg), [six](http://naturescrusaders.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/ladybug.jpg), [eight](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T3Y-bdSQbPI/Sc881HnJBgI/AAAAAAAAABA/6xBoLEw6bRE/s320/red-back-spider.jpg), or even [dozens and dozens](http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/mili1.jpg) of limbs. Or [none at all.](http://www.jhocy.com/gallery/snakes-a207/corn-snake-web-i7316.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/34 "2011-08-12T12:56:16Z")
I’d only move there if I could (A) adopt a wolf and dance with it. And (B) Rape and pillage the environment. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/35 "2011-08-12T13:20:35Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > On Earth, you have creatures with [four](http://static.gotpetsonline.com/pictures-gallery/dog-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/english-shepherd-dog-pictures-breeders-puppies-rescue/pictures/english-shepherd-dog-0003.jpg), [six](http://naturescrusaders.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/ladybug.jpg), [eight](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_T3Y-bdSQbPI/Sc881HnJBgI/AAAAAAAAABA/6xBoLEw6bRE/s320/red-back-spider.jpg), or even [dozens and dozens](http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/mili1.jpg) of limbs. Or [none at all.](http://www.jhocy.com/gallery/snakes-a207/corn-snake-web-i7316.jpg) On Earth, though, every terrestrial _vertebrate_ follows the same basic template of four limbs, with occasional exceptions where limbs have been subtracted (but skeletally you can still see where they “should” have been). If any species showed up in our world bigger than a newt and boasting _more_ than the standard template, wouldn’t scientists be all atwitter wondering where it came from? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/36 "2011-08-12T15:04:07Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > As for mining, how about just mining someplace where the natives _aren’t_? Instead of just deciding it’s easier to shoot the locals that look for another deposit. They pull in natives from throughout the tri-county area so perhaps the entire world is at least partially populated. Or populated enough that you’ll always have some cranky blue people throwing rocks at your backhoe. Also, the richest supply of unobtanium was located underneath the special Keebler elf tree. > [@](#): > > Which is an argument I’ve heard for not massacring the Na’vi or bombarding the planet from orbit; what if you do that and in a century or so the Avatarverse versions of the First Ones show up and rip off Earth’s crust in retaliation for ruining their experiment? This didn’t seem to be a concern in the movie when they were slaughtering piles of the natives and bulldozing their homes. The problem wasn’t lack of motive but shabby tactics and underestimating dragons and spears versus your helicopters and knife-fighting robot suits. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/37 "2011-08-12T15:53:18Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > … located underneath the special Keebler elf tree. Heh! Keebler elves would have helped the movie make more sense. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/38 "2011-08-12T16:18:18Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Heh! Keebler elves would have helped the movie make more sense. And been far tastier. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/39 "2011-08-12T16:56:48Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > I’d miss nipples. Even my own. If you watch carefully, you do see Navi nipples in the film. Back To The OP No, I wouldn’t want to live there. Society is stagnant, as has been said. The humans will be back and better armed or possibly nuking the planet from orbit, as has also been said. Looking back, I realize that I was raised by a hippie and a beatnik (Dad worked for the Department Of Defense, but he was seemingly happiest when scuba diving or playing the recorder in a coffee housee). However, even I realize that the tactics on both sides were awful. The Navi should have gone with years of quiet, from the edges, guerrilla fighting rather than an all out frontal assault. The humans should have gone with orbital bombing or a bioweapon. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149/40 "2011-08-12T21:27:25Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > On Earth, though, every terrestrial _vertebrate_ follows the same basic template of four limbs, with occasional exceptions where limbs have been subtracted (but skeletally you can still see where they “should” have been). One of the things I was going to suggest was that, if you looked at a Navi skeleton, you might find vestigial traces of their third pair of limbs. > [@](#): > > If any species showed up in our world bigger than a newt and boasting _more_ than the standard template, wouldn’t scientists be all atwitter wondering where it came from? Sure, but that’s because we have a pretty good idea of what sort of life forms we should expect to find on Earth. We don’t have that for Pandora, where we only see about a dozen different life forms from the entire biosphere. From the movie alone, we can’t say that four limbed species are unusual for the planet, just that there don’t seem to be many in the extremely small planetary area shown in the film. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-move-to-pandora-avatar/592149.md?page=3)